The Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued a notice to the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) over a road constructed on the Perumbakkam marshland by a private realtor.
In a suo motu case taken up by the tribunal based on a news report, the Bench comprising Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana and expert member Satyagopal Kolarpati has noted the allegation that a private real estate developer was constructing the road on the Perumbakkam marshland and tonnes of construction material and soil were dumped in the water body by using heavy machinery.
The CMDA has been directed to file a report on the nature of the land, permission (if any) granted to the private realtors and any action taken in the matter. The Chengalpattu District Collector has been asked to submit details of the land as per the revenue records and action taken for stopping the unauthorised construction of road or building.
The Perumbakkam wetland lies close to the Pallikaranai marsh, the first wetland in Chennai to be declared a Ramsar site under the Unesco’s Ramsar Convention, an intergovernmental treaty aimed at conserving wetlands. The Forest department officials, who inspected the road, told The Hindu that the site in question did not fall under the purview of the department. “Though the site is not classified as forestland as per revenue records, its condition is a wetland,” said an official.
The tribunal has asked the Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Environment and Climate Change, and Member Secretary, Tamil Nadu State Wetland Authority, to file a response.
